Comment viewing options

Not sure how I feel about this one. I agree with the spotlight needing to shine on this year's team, but damn if I wasn't happy to see Jalen in his silly wolverine hat madly cheering on as a fan, alum, and supporter. His Michigan pride was on full display, and I was ecstatic to see it. Coach Jordan did the right thing by asking for some locker room privacy, and I'm sure those guys (Rose, King, Howard, Jackson) complied without complaint.

In his support for Michigan. Everything from participating in the chants to pumping up the crowd and even putting his arms up questioning calls. I think that was why he made such a big deal about it, he loves Michigan and wants to show that.

I think we as spectators make the spectacle a bit. News needs an audience: if people really didn't want to hear about the Fab Five, they'd be an afterthought. In the Grantland podcast, I think Jalen had the right idea on doing it to show their support for the players who looked up to them. That may have been construed a bit, but they meant well and I don't think anyone can question their support.

I was at Crisler last night and when they showed Webber on TV the crowd went crazy. I honestly don't understand why. He has done NOTHING to deserve that response. I don't want the Fab Five to be mentioned ever in the same sentence with the 2012-13 team.

He did nothing to deserve it? You must not have watched him play, he did a lot to deserve it. He hasn't done everything right, but holy shit did that guy play good basketball for us for a couple years. Obviously there is plenty of debate about him, but to say you don't think he did anything to deserve the cheers is being naive/myopic.

I text with a lot of my UM alum friends during the games, and last night everyone I talked to was psyched Webber was there.

Frankly, if you weren't in school at Michigan during the Fab Five era you're not qualified to comment on whether Webber deserves praise or not. Those years were glorious times, glorious. Anyone who was a student back then who says they got nothing out of the Fab Five are liars. It was a great time to be a Michigan Wolverine. So glad to see those times have returned.

Chris Webber was found guilty of taking illegal benefits. Steve Fisher was found guilty of not having control of who had access to the players in his program. Juwan Howard was found guilty of....nothing. All of this was brought to light years after the Fab Five had left school.

So the notion that you saw Juwan rolling around campus in the early 90's in a Geo Tracker and just "knew" that the program was up to no good is complete and utter bullshit.

Webber is one of my favorite basketball players of all time and that team was one of the most exciting teams of all time. I hardly even care about the whole Ed Martin thing and the more I hear about it the less I blame the players. I love Webber, always will, and was very happy to see him show up even after all the rest of the fab five kept saying in interviews that they didn't think he'd show.

You mean like stand with their friends in the stands, wear their team colors, cheer in support, root for their team, and maybe wave if the camera gets pointed at them? Like, exactly what they did?

If you want to get angry about the attention the 5 are getting, don't be mad at them. They just wanted to go to a game and root for their team in the most exciting moment this program has experienced in 20 years. They were not hogging spotlight, and the attention paid to them was the same filler that gets paid to parents and other famous alumni during slow moments in game coverage.

You could make a case that Jalen was putting himself in the spotlight, but I think that's an inaccurate assessment as well. The guy has a job as a sports analyst, of course they're going to ask him about this team. What do you want him to do? He could refuse to answer completely, or maybe quit his job, but I think either of those things would have been much more attention grabbing and distracting. And when he did answer, he was very deferential to the current team, and I think he did a great job of keeping the spotlight pointed in the right direction.

Even Jalen said that the team he looks up to the 89 team. Glen Rice was the man, and his record will never be broken. I would love to see that team next year show up for the final four, when we go again.

This is an idiotic rant. If we made the national title game in football next season and Denard and Tom Brady showed up for it, you wouldn't be saying this. No one would pass off fans going "oh, look, it's Denard" as "taking away attention from the current team." No one would chalk up the fact Tom Brady has a mic stuck in his face for a comment after the game as him thinking its all about him. Walking the sidelines before the game? I guess at UTL Steve Everitt was trying to make it all about himself being the first to congratulate Roundtree on the winning touchdown. He probably should've understood it wasn't his time anymore.

This is an asinine post from someone who pretty frequently likes to start "look at me, I have a strong take on the Jim Rome show"-esque posts.

"Here we are at Ohio Stadium, in front of 10,000 alumni and 74,000 truck drivers." - Bob Ufer

Denard and Brady are loved by the majority, if not all, Michigan fans. The Fab 5 draw mixed responses from Michigan fans.

I think Webber played this situation right, he was there to support the team and let everyone know he was there just not in a very over the top way. The other four, they obviously showed their support by being there, but i think the way Jalen went out to publicly call for a reunion through the media is why prople are upset. Jalen could have simply emailed, called, texted, etc all Fab 5 members and said lets get back together to show support for the team.

Regardless, i am happy to see the Fab 5 were there to support the team.

I think, with all due respect, you just hit the nail right on the head with your first paragraph: Denard/Brady are reverred by all; the Fab Five gets a mixed reaction. When two people doing the exact same thing illicit different responses simply because of who is more popular... well, isn't that the very definition "it's really more about you (and your biases), than them (and their actions)"?

"Here we are at Ohio Stadium, in front of 10,000 alumni and 74,000 truck drivers." - Bob Ufer

You can't really compare Webber's appearance to Denard or Brady showing up at a football game. All three were tremendous athletes who achieved outstanding success in their respective sports, but only the latter two are class acts who deserve the undying admiration of the fanbase. Webber knowingly violoated NCAA rules for no other reason than his own selfishness, leading to the biggest scandal in University history. Then he purjured himself. Wrongs can be forgiven, certainly, but the dude still hasn't come clean and apologized for what he did.

I agree. I have no problem with them being there and cheering the team on from the crowd, in fact I love it, but they don't need to draw attention to themselves. I don't even mind them talking to the players. I would simply like them to act like any other Michigan alum attending the game ie: Denard, Woodson.

How exactly were they trying to steal the spotlight for themselves? I noticed two moments in game coverage that featured the Fab 5. One of them was the pregame shot of Chris Webber actively avoiding the spotlight so that he could get into the game just to watch and be a fan. The other was a singe shot of the other four in the crowd, just being there and being fans. Seriously, how do you look at Jalen Rose wearing a giant foam wolverine hat and cheering his heart out as "drawing attention" to himself? What did Juwan, Jimmy, or Ray do to draw attention to themselves? Where is this coming from?

There seems to be a sentiment from a lot of people in this thread (including/especially the OP) that they were drawing too much attention to themselves. I assumed your post was in agreement with that idea, a point on which I appear to have been mistaken. Apologies.

I don't think that big of a deal has been made about them being there. I have hardly even seen any quotes from any of them regarding the game or being all together. They have every right to be at that game and if the camera shows them for 3 seconds then so be it. I'd rather see them sitting with fans than Rick Pitino and that grimly appearance of his.

You know, Dude, I myself dabbled in pacifism once. Not in 'Nam of course.

It's no different than the cameras catching Magic every time he's at an MSU game.

They went to the game to support the school they played for and hopefully see the team finish what they couldn't. If it upsets you to see them and hear them talked about for a very small portion of the game, that's on you, not them.

You can't possiby be serious. You will have to get me a copy of Robert's Rules of Order: Celebrity Edition so if I ever become famous I'll know exactly the etiquette to timing my enterance into events.

I have a pretty fair suspicion that had they waited 5 minutes and CBS cut to them coming down the aisle during the game, you'd be on about how they were "fashionably late" to try to steal the attention and should've been in their seats before the tip-off like real fans.

"Here we are at Ohio Stadium, in front of 10,000 alumni and 74,000 truck drivers." - Bob Ufer

Magic also generally doesn't stir any controversy, so you don't have a writer looking for an angle shaping any interraction in the worst possible light. There's nothing in that report that's inherently bad about what any members of the fab five did. In fact, I think it speaks poorly of the reporter to shape it the way he did. I'm sure Jordan's suggestion that those guys retreat until interviews were over was more about getting the media out of the room in a more timely fashion than anything to do with the current squad "wanting to be their own team." Its sort of ridiculous that he implicitly complains about the questions the players got about the fab five being there (a farily valid criticism, all in all), but then use the only semi-negative quote I've seen from anyone to imply that the guys shouldn't have been there at all.

Again, this is more about you than them.

Edit: And no disrespect to Josh Bartelsten, but the fact that the reporter used a quote from a guy who's name 95% of michigan fans wouldn't recognize to make his point just emphasizes that the reporter had an agenda.

From what I hear, fans get tired of magic poking his head in whenever there is spotlight too.

Honestly, this is such a non issue if you ask me. Yeah the fab five were there, they only showed them once at the beginning. The ones that are still in good graces with the university were in the open, while CWebb was never shown besides entering the arena. They helped build the program, and knock it down a little bit too, but for the most part they are the most recognizable faces of our program.

Not saying it's not appropriate to quote him. Saying that if the reporter had a similar quote from anyone that plays regularly, he would have run that. He didn't. He probably had a few minutes worth of quotes from young Bartelstein, but the fact that he quoted him for the one vaguely negative statement about the Fab Five speaks volumes as to the writer's intentions.

The writer is Joe Rexrode, an MSU beat guy, and I believe an MSU homer. But sure, go on believeing he had no agenda.

What did they do exactly to steal the spotlight? They're famous. They don't really have any control over whether CBS shows them or someone sticks a microphone in their face after the game. Kevin Ware must be a total egomaniac attention-whore by this logic.

"Here we are at Ohio Stadium, in front of 10,000 alumni and 74,000 truck drivers." - Bob Ufer

I am soo sick of people trying to tell the Fab 5 they aren't allowed to show up and cheer for Michigan. Yes they will get interviewed and get camera time..so will many other stars..big deal. The current team likes them there. .If you don't, that's your problem because youre a douche

Yeah, Denard, Kovacs, and Roundtree have been upstaging this team all year by being in the Maize Rage instead of a suite. Hey, does anyone have a down-to-the-minute breakdown of when they entered the arena this season for basketball games? We really need to get the bottom of this selfish, aggrandizing Michigan athletes supporting other Michigan athletes tomfoolery.

"Here we are at Ohio Stadium, in front of 10,000 alumni and 74,000 truck drivers." - Bob Ufer

The Big Ten Network cut more often to shots of Denard Robinson jumping up and down in the stands during any average game he attended this season than CBS did to the Fab Five last night. It's not a strawman, it's apples to apples.

"Here we are at Ohio Stadium, in front of 10,000 alumni and 74,000 truck drivers." - Bob Ufer

So what's the threshold where a former player or celebrity who attends a Michigan game is too famous that he or she becomes a distraction? I have a feeling that if Tom Brady showed up last night to cheer for the Wolverines we wouldn't have any posts about him being an attention-seeking distraction.

Jimmy was on the radio yesterday morning talking about how it was about supporting this team and not about the Fab Five anymore. He was hoping they could take it one step further than they did.

He also mentioned all the things this year's team did to honor them. THJ has been wearing a "Free the Fab Five" shirt since getting on campus, have you noticed the black socks, and a couple haircuts look fimilar from back in the day.

Can anyone imagine a better group of people to be in that locker room after that loss?? I mean, the Fab Five was in that same position TWICE! If anyone knows how the current players feel its those guys. I think it is great that they were able to be in the locker room for support and I'm sure the current players appreciated it.

I disagree. They are college basketball icons and it's absurd to consider them simple fans who were able to scrounge up tickets. Their impact and influence is undeniable. I mean Jesus, their documentary (18 years after they left college basketball) won an Emmy for crying out loud. Michigan alums winning an Emmy for a documentary about the most celebrated period in the history of Michigan athletics and you don't want to see them on television together at Michigan's return to the National Championship Game?

If a frog had wings, it wouldn't bump its ass a-hoppin' - Nathan Huffhines

I dont have a problem with them giving interviews at half, and having the "spotlight" on them, MSM always cuts to a hot girl (Luv you Brady Quinns sister, or Ms. Alabama), or famous alumni and trys to play it up.

Like it or not before last night the last time we had played in a NC game had a lil' asertisk next to it. So undoutedly they were going to get showed. I think what this game more than likely did is help to quell the Fab 5's power over the school. They are no longer the last team to do this, or the last time to do that. At this point they can be credited with wearing some baggy shorts, black socks and almost shocking the world.

Two totally different teams. Each one was special in their own way, so let's not take anything away from either of them. The 12-13 team was special and I will never forget their accomplishments. Beilein has this program on a serious rise and we should get used to seeing this team make deep runs in the tourney every year. Great season gentlemen.

...as a community of Michigan fans we should not hate on the Fab 5, rather in fact we should support them...im not here to argue about what C-Web did, im here just like Jalen and the rest of the Fab 5 to support our team and root them on for victory...people on here are holding on to a 20 year old grudge....NEWS FLASH: most of our team was not alive when the Fab 5 was playing...let it go, live and let live, holding grudges does not bring us together as a community

It's funny throughout the game I was worried more about Trey Burke's fouls, Michigan's sloppy play (at times) then the Fab Five. They were at the game but it didn't for one second take away for this year's team. Past greats show up all the time to root on their alma mater. I loved that era and I loved watching this year's team.

In 20 years when Kevin Ware is sitting in the stands are L'ville fans going to say the same thing?

I thought the Fab 5 did a great job of not making it about them. Zach Novak was there, he did interviews, he's on the same level as them (in terms of being in attendance and doing interviews). Denard was there. Denard's always there...we never say "Denard, your season's over...it's not about you anymore!" "Lloyd Carr, you don't coach here anymore, stop sitting courtside!" A bunch of alums were there. Be proud that we have alums to celebrate and cheer on our current teams.

The same goes on at every school. Hell, it's celebrated at some (Miami-FL football players on the sidelines, damn near coaching...USC Football...UNC and Duke Basketball is damn near a "who's who?")

In 20 years if we're in the national championship and Trey Burke is there, there's going to be someone that writes about completing the journey for THIS team.

...it's the nature of the media. But no one brought attention to themselves by doing anything other than showing up and wearing a goofy ass Michigan hat.

“True loyalty is that quality of service that grows under adversity and expands in defeat. Any street urchin can shout applause in victory, but it takes character to stand fast in defeat. One is noise — the other, loyalty.”

I understand the significance of the Fab Five as a cultural event and quite a basketball achievement, but I don't think they have much to do with the Final Four or the national championship. I could understand all the hoopla if they actually won the national title, but they were runners up, just like every other second-place finisher over the last 75 years of the tournament.

You kind of contradict yourself there. You understand their basketball achievement but don't think they have much to do with the NCAA tournament? They were arguably the best group of freshman ever assembled and they took college basketball by storm. I urge you to find an example of an NCAA tournament that does not include at least one mention of the Fab Five. I submit that their two second-place finishes had a bigger impact on college basketball than 90% of the teams that won the whole thing since then.

Case in point, CooperLily. Every year, two teams reach the national championship game. Only once has one of those teams had a starting five of all freshmen. Equally significant is the fact that they returned as sophomores, no small feat, seeing how everyone had two years worth of film on them at that point.

This is exactly right. Jalen made this point in the Fab 5 documentary: "Name the starting 5 of the North Carolina team that beat us." They were significant.

But none of that matters to what Magnus said. It doesn't matter if they were significant to the NCAA tourney as a whole, because they weren't at some random Final Four game. They were are a Michigan game, and no one can argue that they weren't significant to Michigan basketball.

but the fact that they are seldom together in that number, muuuch less all 5 of them, made it into a big media hooplah. If the Ed Martin scandal had bombed the program then they'd probably be around a lot and then it wouldn't be any weirder than seeing Brady or Denard in the Rose Bowl. However, this first-time-20-years thing I think ended up creating more media focus on the Fab Five than they were intending. It's obvious to me that that's not what they wanted, it's just how the storylines get told

...this isn't about the Fab Five, it's about THIS team. And even when you refer to us, it was about OUR team. Our TEAM should have some time of commemorative banner hung, not just the Fab 5.

But how do we know those other guys weren't there? The Fab 5 is obviously going to get the attention, they're the Fab 5! If Michael Jordan shows up, no one cares what teammate sitting next to him or a row down from him unless his last name is Worthy.

That's the MEDIA choosing what to make a big deal, not The Fab 5.

Glenn Robinson's dad was sitting 2 feet from the bench and he never got mentioned ONCE last night. Hardaway barely got mentioned and it took a HUGE dunk to do that.

We watch Michigan every game, there's ALWAYS a focus on those two guys, every single game they're mentioned (and even interviewed in the middle of a Sweet 16 or Elite 8 game).

So the media chose to spotlight the Fab 5 over even them. But it wasn't a "hell look at us type of thing." Just like when Tim Hardaway and Glen Robinson show up, it's not for their attention, it's because their sons our playing.

In this case, the Fab 5's school was playing in the frickin National Championship. I'd go too!

The media and fans made it about the Fab Five, not those guys.

“True loyalty is that quality of service that grows under adversity and expands in defeat. Any street urchin can shout applause in victory, but it takes character to stand fast in defeat. One is noise — the other, loyalty.”

Overall, I'm just relieved that the next time Michigan is in the championship game, we won't have to endure any of these discussions. Hopefully Burke will be hanging with the Fab 5 and it will bridge the gap.

People complain when alums aren't visibly supportive of the program. Fab Five were such a big deal and so polarizing that they really can't win IMO. If they show up, people think they're trying to upstage the current team. If they don't show up, people wonder where they are and can't stand them for not being there. I'm fine with them being there. I'm ecstatic they were there. It was cool to see. I don't think it took anything away from this team or season.

For a' that, an' a' that,
Our toils obscure an' a' that,
The rank is but the guinea's stamp,
The man's the gowd for a' that.

They were there to support Michigan. Lets stop trying to pretend this year's team hasn't received enough attention. Sure, the Fan Five is getting pub. But let's remember how much publicity and support Jalen Rose alone has provided Michigan, and this team specifically.

This is so complicated. If someone believes players should be paid TODAY, is it hypocritical for them to not forgive Webber? And people only remember Webber because of the whole trial, but forget about Taylor, Traylor and Bullock. No one will agree on this, all you can ask is that everyone at least is informed and knows the facts - 90% of people don't.

I will say, Jalen Rose has turned into an attention seeking nightmare. I hope someone puts him in check. He made a good documentary 3 years ago, and I understand he's proud of what he accomplished at Michigan, but he can't force his shadow onto the program/team anymore. He has great influence at ESPN, needs to use it responsibly. Unless Webber was in on this too - I can't imagine he was very happy about what Jalen did. He should follow Desmond Howard around for a few weeks, or Tracy Wolfson, Rich Eisen, Adam Schefter.

That's not Jalen though. He is never going to be those guys. That's part of the reason why I love him so much. Jalen has a lot of heart, a lot of mouth and a lot of love for the University. I'm alright with that.

or uh, Duder, or El Duderino if you're not into the whole brevity thing.

Yeah, I agree with this. Part of what makes Jalen good at his job is his personality. Sure, he's knowledgable about basketball, but lots of ex-NBA players are. Like Barkley, albeit to a lesser extent, his personality is what sets him apart. He's not going to give the same sugar-coated opinion that every other analyst gives, and that will make him both polarizing and marketable.

It was only a big deal to the media and fans because the guys haven't been together since 93, and they haven't shown up to support Michigan basketball.

Really, they need to come back more often, especially Chris. Bury the hatchet, let the old wounds heal, and everyone moves on. If Michigan is back in the Final Four next year and the Fab Five get back together to watch the game, it won't be nearly the story it was this year. Each time they appear at a game (not necessarily all together), the whole thing becomes less of a story.

I'm simply over the fab five. I am glad they showed up to support the team and I don't feel like they were stealing the spotlight. I am just simply over that team, and I wish we discussed and revered the 89 team for the true champions that they were.

I wonder when we'll stop talking about this. We have been generally able to move on from Rich Rodriguez after only 3 years. Will we have to wait 3 years to move on from this or is 20 enough? Shit, many of you we're still in diapers during the Fab Five era. It's time to move on.

Maybe this is the first step. Webber showing up at a Michigan event was refreshing to see. I look forward to the day when we can put the bad behind us and embrace all the good the Fab Five brought to Michigan, and believe me, it was a LOT of good. Granted, before this happens there probably needs to be some level of concililation that needs to be made on Webber's part, but showing up last night was a big step, maybe he'll be willing to take some more in the future.

These guys deserve more than to be just shoved in a corner and forgotten.

With all due respect to Ray, Juwan, and Chris....those 3 as far as I know, didn't say a word to any media outlets about possibly going to Atlanta. It was all Jalen and to a lesser extent I heard Jimmy in the media too.

Ray, Juwan, and Chris just went to support their alma mater without talking about it or bringing attention to themselves or the Fab 5 in the process.

I'm okay with how everything went. They showed the fab five in the crowd once and that was it. Michigan didn't lose because they were distracted.

The shitty part is we will have to hear about how the 2012-13 team lost in the championship game just like the fab five did for all eternity, and on the night they all reunited for the first time in 20 years.

I wish I could neg the premise of this post by the OP more than once. Clearly you miss the impact of the Fab 5 or you weren't alive to understand it.

If you were alive and in Ann Arbor in 1993 you'd understand the importance of the Fab 5 and their legacy. It was an unbelievable time with a decades long impact. You can hate the aftermath, the sanctions, the Amaker years as a response and all associated with the Webber/Martin issues. Nonetheless, the status and impact of the Fab 5 is immeasurable to both the university and culturally. The Fab 5 movie touched on this a bit but fell short of what it was really like. The Fab 5 remain relevant to modern era kids.

That the Fab 5 felt it important to get together as friends to support this year's team, to fly in, to buy tickets and to attend the game is indicative of their commitment to this year's team. Support from former athletes and alumni is not a bad thing.

OP your premise is ridiculous.

If the haters don't hate you then you're doing something wrong. - David Cone

The Fab 5 still has its legacy. It had its adoration. It had its moment. It is STILL a part of the University's history. But to take any atttention from the current student athletes is shameless.

And yet, why do I feel if the guys sitting there were Glen Rice, Loy Vaught, Terry Mills, and Mike Griffin, you wouldn't have an issue with it? The double standard when it comes to the Fab Five is simply preposterous.

I don't want to get into individual debates about this subject as i have been in enough already, but I find it ironic that a person feels that the fab five are trying to steal the spotlight or are getting too much attention that should be focused on the current team and then starts a board topic complaining about it...Am I the only one that feels this way?

Full disclosure, I am from Canada so I miss out on a lot of the media coverage on such things, but I can say with absolute certainty that the place I saw the most commentary (whether it be good or bad) about the fab five during this tournament run has been right here on this blog.

From what I have seen from afar it hasn't been the fab five trying to make anything about "them". They are alumni who want to cheer on the cuurent team. The people making it about "the fab five" are those fans who, twenty years later, are still so butt hurt and unforgiving that they don't want the world to forget that a college kid made a mistake and took some money someone offered him (20 years ago).

Maybe I'm just too forgiving a person, but I would suggest that people who are still harboring this grudge get the hell over it alreay. The main concern seemed to be (from what I have read on the myriad threads leading up to the final) that what happened 20 years ago would overshadow what the current team was accomlishing, and guess what...the only place I heard anyone talking about the fab five in any negative way was right here. That's right, no mention of sanctions, final four banners taken down, a kid taking money, the Ed Martin scandal, nothing. Just good natured discussion about the fact that they too accomplished something 20 years ago. Why can't we just let it go like everyone else in the world has?

Yeah, they got together for this game. But have you listened to a word they've said? Constantly deflecting praise to Team 96, complimenting their talent, selflessness, effort and how they represent Michigan and make all of us proud.

This isn't the Fab Five seeking attention, or trying to steal attention. This is the media making it a big deal that our alumni are supporting us and the Fab Five doing a great job NOT making it about themselves.

Jalen has been the top ambassador for Michigan basketball for the last 4-6 years -- on ESPN, Grandland, and just in general. This isn't about the Fab Five. We can make it about the Fab Five in May, when I completely endorse welcoming them all back.

All of this distraction talk sounds good in sports columns and on radio shows, but it just doesn't translate into reality. The Fab Five didn't steal any attention away from that great game last night, nor anything that this team has accomplished the past few weeks.

We can all rattle off our own viewpoints and reasons why the Fab 5 should or shouldn't be welcomed back to the Michigan family. But for one brief moment when I watched Chris Webber exit his car with a Michigan cap on, I felt the family came back together whole.

What happens beyond last night going forward is for people far smarter than me to come to grips with. The issues are still there and many are still unresolved. We will all watch the next few months with key interest to the fate of the Fab 5 going forward.

But you have to admit it was nice seeing CWebb in Michigan gear again.

It's always been about them. Well, more appropriately, Jalen and Chris. Those guys have perpetuated this idea that their run at UM transformed basketball going forward, when in fact they were an evolutionary step that would have happened without them, and some would say was already occurring just below the surface. You can't take away what they did for the university, but I've grown tired of hearing them trumpet their past while (at least in Webber's case) never acknowledging the pain they caused the university when they left.

the one thing you can't say is that Chris trumpeted their/his past---that's sorta the point for some--he's been silent. And, but for a perfectly appropriate tweet, he was silent and virtually unseen last night.

the one thing you can't say is that Chris trumpeted their/his past---that's sorta the point for some--he's been silent. And, but for a perfectly appropriate tweet, he was silent and virtually unseen last night.

feeling that they did make it about themselves - I felt that they were there embracing this team just like the rest of us were. I wonder if we would be complaining had the Fab 5 not showed up by saying...."hey, why can't they be happy and celebrate the team with us - they are so selfish." I love the fact that players from the past are proud of the university and the team. It was awesome to see Steve Fisher in the crowd as well. I love Michigan athletics because it seems like a large family - sometimes families have squabbles and disagreements but at the end of the day you are family - celebrate and appreciate.

I don't know about you, but I watched the whole game from start to finish on CBS. I saw some shots of the Fab 5 and a heard a few discussions, but I didn't miss one second of the game or feel slighted in the least because they attended. The cameras were on the game when they needed to be on the game, and the commentators knew they were commentating a basketball game and not a Fab Five reunion piece.

If you had troubles focusing on the game because they were in attendance and were getting too much "attention" (in your opinion), my guess is you are taking this situation way too personally. Enjoy the game, man. This thing doesn't happen often enough to let something take away from you the excitement of this experience.

Incredible. The Fab 5 show up to support the new team and UM, and the OP bashes them... Bizaare, polarizing opinions like his are a window into why there's just so much turmoil in the world. People are dumb.

The Fab Five were rock stars. Celebrities. Icons. It would have been better if they were champions (of anything), or at least if C-Webb hadn't've been involved in the worst scandal in the history of the Michigan Athletic Department.

But they were ridiculously skilled players who made it cool to be a Michigan fan for a couple of years, despite not actually winning anything. Essentially they were all Michael Vick before Michael Vick was Michael Vick. He was the most exciting .500 quarterback who ever lived, and to this day in the ATL he's got legions of fans, despite (and maybe even to a degree because of) the whole dogfighting thing.

I don't regret the Fab Five's impact on Michigan basketball anymore than I regret the Falcons drafting Michael Vick #1 when they traded up to get him in 2001. But I think consideration should be given to the thoughts of the folks who believe that celebrating these men based on who they were rather than on the merits of what they've accomplished in the arena and/or in life might not be, necessarily speaking, "the Michigan Way".

Maybe we should have tried to get Rumeal Robinson furloughed from prison so that he could have attend the game as well?

M Alumni Rule! I am happy to see all of our alumni come out and support the University and I am always happy to see our most famous alumni come out including the Fab 5. It was a very exciting time for me to attend Michigan and I cannot forget how incredibly awesome our basketball team was. I want all of our alumni to come to all the games. The world can see what we produced. Would love to have Griese, Brady and Woodson come to watch our football team win the national championship next year. I will not cry if the media gives them attention while at the game.

Mr. Hart! That is the most intelligent thing you've said all day. You may take your seat.

Attend that game. Former players supporting the college they attended and in Juwan's case graduated from. They love U of M and I'm glad they came out and showed that. They were not a distraction. Your post is ridiculous drivel.

Attend that game. Former players supporting the college they attended and in Juwan's case graduated from. They love U of M and I'm glad they came out and showed that. They were not a distraction. Your post is ridiculous drivel.

I have no problem with saying there are huge problems with what Chris Webber did. But I am fed up with the mindset of the OP.

I watched the game from start to finish, and I didn't see much focus on the Fab 5.

I never saw Chris Webber on CBS.

In the tweet from Chris, he put the focus on this team.

In the interviews I read, the Fab 5 put the focus on this team.

In the "Open Letter," they were requested to come.

And the clear statement in the letter is that this would please and honor the current team.

The Fab 5 can't win. I'm thrilled they came and enjoyed the game, but they didn't make this about themselves. I fully agree with all those who note that it is crabby fans who have a bias against the Fab 5 who are the ones with the problem.

“Top to bottom Michigan is about excellence, greatness. You have my pledge I will carry forward the excellence of Michigan football." Jim Harbaugh, December 30, 2014

I hate your thread and I hate you. Granted I don't know you, but I'm going to imagine you're a 20 something year old who doesn't have a single memory of the fab five actually paying. For that you just don't get it.